The Surefire Method to Achieve Your Goals

January 13, 2015 By Lea_

You’ve been through this a million times. You should have a million accomplished desires on your track record.

But surprisingly you don’t.

The process starts and ends the same, every single time. You get all excited when you think about something you want. Just the thought of having it makes you want to jump up and down on the couch for joy.

You can’t peel that smile off of your face. It’s exactly what you want, exactly what you need. And you deserve it!

The adrenaline is enough to keep you pumped all day and heighten your mood. Everything seems so much better.

Now here comes the real stuff. How are you going to get it?

You start to think about the things you have to do. The list gets longer, the tasks seem complicated. It’s beyond the norm for you. Your euphoric state begins to fade a bit.

But what the heck, you’re going to give it a shot because you can’t let such a good feeling go so quickly.

So you take the preliminary steps, after all they are the easiest. You’re still kind of pumped. As pumped as anyone could be for doing legwork, right.

You’re trucking along, then things start to get a bit harder, something else gets in the way. Then just like that your goal becomes a brief thought from long ago.

What just happened?

One minute your goal and the tasks leading up to it were a part of your agenda, now it’s just it’s just a souvenir of days gone by.

It’s kind of confusing when you think about how you went from 0 to 60 then back down to zero again. But when you think about it further it’s actually quite simple.

You worked on it for a little while, then you stopped, and probably just as quickly as you started.

Are you not into it anymore?

Do you even still get that cheerful feeling when you think about it?

You don’t feel as strongly because it just doesn’t work for you anymore. Your feelings have numbed because you’re no longer thinking about the end result but the process to get there.

It’s the work that you have to put in that has soured your mood. When people think about their goals they focus on conceiving the thought then achieving it. Not the stuff in between. So when you don’t get that instant gratification things feel like they’re falling apart.

But that doesn’t mean they are. You have to keep going it you’re ever going to make it to the finish line.

But how are you ever going to make it to achievement if you can’t even get over the process in the middle?

You have to reconnect with your goal. Don’t let your feelings around it sour because the process is a bit more than you’re used to.

It comes with the territory. There isn’t a goal out there you can achieve without some kind of work. So if you plan on giving up every time the road seems a little long you can count on not having a single thing to be proud of.

Really think about it. How else are you going to get them done if you don’t do the work?

I know you’d rather lie on the couch in front of the TV but this is your life. No one else is going to do it for you or make your life the way you want it to be. So get started, the sooner the better.

Why

That’s basically it. Why? Figure out why you want this goal, why the thought of having it makes you happy.

In doing this not only will you determine what about it motivates you but you can also figure out if its valid and worth the effort. Sometimes you want things for the wrong reasons, they don’t benefit you. You want it just because.

This can help you weed out the important stuff compare to the fluff so you can stop wasting your time on the unnecessary and unfulfilling.

Once you know it’s worth the effort it will become easier to focus on the work. When you don’t know why you’re doing something or there isn’t a real reason behind it you won’t even notice when it falls off your radar.

You have to reinforce its importance and connect with that motivation.

Follow Through

This is the heart of the problem. In case you have not recognized it, this is the reason why you can’t get the goal. This is so easy not to do.

Unfortunately goals are not like wishes to a Genie, you can’t just ask for it and it instantly happens. You have to follow through with it.

How do you follow through when things get harder? Of course you’re going to face some challenges and areas of uncertainty, what good goal doesn’t have this thrown into the mix.

This is where scare tactics some in. Think about what would happen or how your life would be if you didn’t do it. Typically, that is motivation enough for me, especially with the big stuff.

I mean, just being stagnant forever scares me.

So whenever you think about giving it up or putting it off think about how your life would be if you never achieved your goals. That ought to put your butt in gear.

Routine

I used to be the worst at this. In the past I would work super long days so when I was finally done, I was too tired to do anything else. Most of the time I wasn’t actually tired, I just didn’t want to do anything else, the thought of another thing made me tired.

What I would do was tell myself that I’d work on my goals on my extended weekends (I worked longer days to get more off at the end of the week). You can guess what happened.

Yup, nothing.

At that point I was actually tired and had a crazy long list of other things that I also put off. I was trying to fit too many things into a few days. It just didn’t work and my goals, and I, suffered.

Working a little on your goals everyday makes the process easier and feels less tedious.

On the weekends I felt like I had million things to do. And some of the tasks were just too much to do all in one day or even two, like it would wipe you out.

Make your goals a part of your daily routine. Work on them every possible day. Sure you might miss a day but don’t use that as an excuse to throw in the towel. Pick right back up again and continue your streak.

There’s nothing to it

Coming up with goals are easy, make them a reality is another story. It’s hard but not too hard for you. Now that you know how to keep you head in the game the process will become simpler.

A goal is meant to be achieved. Outside of action it is just a wish. This surefire method will transform your wishes into goals, then into your reality. Isn’t that what you’re really after?

Make sure to connect with your goal so you know why you need to do it, and keep it on your mind and on your agenda so that it can become part of your daily life.

What’s your take…

Do you think focusing on how your life would be without your goal is motivation enough to work on it daily? Does that thought scare you also?

Lea is a certified life coach, foodie and lifehack expert. Don’t end up like the millions of people who gave up on their dreams, get unstuck and to the next level. Take the eye-opening Live Your Dreams course now to get moving!

I love the steps you share to get the job done. I used to do the same thing as you where I would work long hours and then not have any time left energy wise to work toward my goals. I started allowing time and making a routine to allow myself the time to reach my goals. Great post.

Motivation sometimes feels like the tide to me. It comes in and out. But I’ve found that getting into a daily routine can help enormously. Even if I work just a little bit each day, I feel like I’ve won. Even if I just put in some effort to get where I want, I’m just that closer to realizing it. It’s a helpful motivator for me. Inch by inch and you’ll get there. If only I could find a way to keep speeding it up though.

Keeping our motivation before us is so key. I’ve also found for me that I’ve got to give myself an effective timeline. I’ve found I can keep that motivation but only inch forward. I need to walk, jog, and run hard after the goal.

True, that’s why I think it’s so important to remind yourself of the why. Once you connect with why you wanted it in the first place you’ll be motivated.

Getting a nice momentum going does help keep that fire burning. When you do too much too soon you burn out and when you start off too slow it’s easy to get distracted. Finding that balance is essential.

There is no easy way to achieve a goal. This is why I love working backwards. I have my “ultimate goal” set up, and different goals to get there. Then, as I take baby steps to achieve each plateau I celebrate! It can be just doing a video as a baby step. I have to pat myself on the back for reinforcement and then go to the next step. On and on I go.

When we look at goals, they have to be clearly identified not only in our minds, but I like to write them down. With my “Ultimate Goal” I have a list of people who I can rely on as sort of a “team” to accomplish that.

Then write down each thing I need to do to reach it. One has to be ready, not only with the tools we have created, but also the time factor. How much time will it take me? Am I really ready for this? Or…What if things explode over night?

That sounds like a great method. I’ve actually worked backwards myself and I do like it. I also look at it like double checking my work (remember school math). It’s a way to make sure I know what I’m getting into instead of find out half way that I took the wrong path.

Celebrating is good and it livens things up. Even though you aren’t finish you should definitely acknowledge your progress thus far. Every bit counts!

I like that you consider the time it would take. A lot of people don’t and I think that’s one of the biggest factors around not achieveing the goal. You think you should be somewhere already and because you’re not you sulk in misery.

Every time I speak to a new client and tell them all the work that’s involved it’s like their desire just got deflated. If only things were easy and quick to accomplish and I think that’s why a lot of us go through the burn out phase or as you said, we just kind of fizz out.

We have our goals all written out, we’re trucking right along and all of a sudden things have gotten a lot harder and more time consuming than we had anticipated.

You definitely have to have a strong enough why to keep you motivated to stay on the right track. Your advice about working on it just a little everyday is just logical. I mean we have to do something every single day anyway right! So don’t overwhelm yourself and take it one step at a time.

Great share my dear, wonderful advice. Thank you so much and you have a fabulous week.

Yes! When you’re putting in that hard work it can be a while before you notice something, and up to that point the desire to throw in the towel grows. Everyone wants that instant gratification but it’s not realistic.

That reminds me of the term “overnight success.” I’m not a big fan of it because it’s so deceiving. That person has been working long and hard, you just noticed. The work they done prior shouldn’t be forgotten.

You’re right, you do something everyday so it might as well be towards something you want!

Hi Lea, Great post. On my Google calendar I have a little step towards my goal each day and I don’t let myself go to bed until I’ve done that step. Then I check out that tomorrow’s step is waiting for me the next day. Leaves me with some very late nights, which I know is bad, but otherwise I lay in bed irritated because I didn’t do everything. Joy

That’s very good, with the little steps outline for you you know exactly what to do next. No time wasted, you can jump right into it. Good idea.

I know what you mean. When I don’t get certain things done during the course of the day I feel unproductive. Then when I look back more I’m irritated wondering what happened. That’s why I try to make it part of the routine so it gets done and without disrupting my schedule.

Great piece. I think the routine point is such an important one. We sometimes treat goals like wishes as you say, and don’t always take the next step of devising a plan and routine that will lead to its fulfilment. Goals are exciting. Routine isn’t as glamorous – but you can’t get the former without the latter. I came across a quote recently that really speaks to this

“If you are immune to boredom, there is literally nothing you cannot accomplish.” – David Foster Wallace.

Exactly, the process isn’t always fun but it’s all about the end result. At that point you can really celebrate and enjoy.

Wow, that’s a great quote for this! Thanks for sharing it with us.

I appreciate your comment. Enjoy your week.

Junie

I love this article. And I needed it.

I have a million and one things to do, especially with my new role as a magazine editor. Plus running three blogs and freelancing to make a living. Then there’s also my personal life and family to consider.

Reading your article shed light on what I need to do to get started or finish my attempts at writing a book. It’s been a goal for as long as…

I need to reassess why I want to it, follow through without procrastinating and get into a routine.

I like what you said about working a little on your goal will make it easier and less tedious. That’s exactly what I need to do.

It definitely isn’t Barbara. You have to be determine and dedicated to see it through, which is the hardest part of the process.

Yes, working on your goals daily makes for a positive habit and helps you progress a whole lot faster than if you didn’t it when you had a spare minute. You have to make time for it. If you really want it, you will.

The true problem is that many people want to achieve their goals in the easiest way possible … without any work needing to be done. That just doesn’t happen.

But one thing that people have problems with regarding goals, is that they either make them too vague or too out of reach. And then they end up accomplishing nothing.

I love your tip about working a little bit everyday on your goals. That’s actually a good tip because if you just work and work at your goals with no break, you’ll quickly burn out. And your goals won’t be accomplished either way. But working it it bit by bit, and targeting specific goals, is the best way to go.

Very inspiring and motivating post! Speaking of motivating, everyone is motivated by differently. I like when you mentioned when people stop thinking about the end results they struggle because their thoughts are now on the process. And that can be overwhelming.

I use to be motivated thinking about the end results when I was younger. 😆

As I gotten older I learned to fall in love with the process so when challenged come I don’t quit and give up. I continue the journey because it’s hard to give up on something you have fallen in love with. That’s how I keep my head in the game.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year, being my first visit to your blog after a while and my little break 🙂

Coming to the post, I cannot imagine my life without an aim, a goal, or something to achieve and do. But I know many who live their lives, just passing their time, only to realize their mistakes later.

You are so right in saying that you have to keep going at it if you ever want to make it to the finish line. It’s a journey, a process, just as I always say, and if you aren’t giving ALL of yourself to it, you’d never be able to achieve your goals.

You need to have the fire and passion within you, the desire to achieve your goals, which will drive you to it. Without it – nothing really works!

Lol…I wish goals were like Genie’s – one wish and it’s achieved! But they aren’t, and need a lot of effort and dedication to achieve. I guess making small, achievable goals is good, rather than huge ones that can become overwhelming, isn’t it?

Yes, working a little on your goals is the key, and taking out a set time in your routine work too. It’s tough to work if you have tonnes on your mind or the weekend too, which you need to unwind.

Thanks for sharing this with us. Have a nice week, and a lovely year ahead 🙂

Happy New Year to you also!! I took a bit of a break over the holiday as well and now I’m working my little tail off 🙂

I feel the same way. I feel like I could always be doing something. When I was younger I changed my path because I felt like the road I was going down didn’t allow much growth. Like you achieve one or two things than that was it, you just plateau.

That’s a wonderful saying Harleena!

Motivation, such as passion, is the best form of fuel. It’s a surething.

Yes, but you can always breakdown that huge goal to little ones to make it less frightening. Then when it’s all said and done you’ll realize it wasn’t that bad and you did it.

Hi Lea
I love what you said about defining your ‘why.’ That is a core ingredient in succeeding. We have to go beyond the surface things like more money, more freedom,etc… Who doesn’t want those types of things? We must go deeper to define our core values and desires..once we have clarity about that, we are on a much better trajectory. We will find it easier to do what needs to be done; we will give up things of a lower nature to make room for the higher, but it won’t be viewed as a ‘sacrifice.’ Great stuff!

You’re exactly right, anyone can enjoy more money and freedom. So true, when you let go of things that do not suit you anymore you’re not losing something, you’re actually gaining, in a way you may have never of thought.

I really resonate with your post and appreciate the advice you’ve given here. It’s actually fantastic!!!

I learned a long time ago that if you create your strategies, measurable goals and objectives and then the task to achieve the goals with; you have the road map to follow.

You have to execute every day and evaluate. It’s work and it’s hard. BUT, it must be done if you’re going to see it through.

Trusting yourself and believing in your own plan is crucial to success. I sometimes sense that people are to busy questioning instead of executing then after time evaluating, tweaking if necessary, and then executing again.

Thanks so much! Yup, that sounds like the makings of a great action plan.

Exactly, everything you want is work. Continuing to do the norm is easy but it doesn’t take you to the next level. The work can be hard to adjust to but it’s so worth it in the end.

You make a good point. When you’re constantly questioning you’re basically disarming yourself from being able to take action. And probably wading in a sea of negativity.

Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your strategies Don!!

~Lea

Shan

Great post! You’ve hit the nail on the head. It’s not just about setting and accomplishing, you’ve got to do that 4-letter word most people don’t like – work – get your butt in gear and do it. Stop faffing around people – do it!

Exactly! It’s so easy to dream but it takes much more to make it happen. Continuous action is the only way to get things done!

~Lea

Lea

Welcome to the Leading Edge, I'm Lea. Here is where you'll find the support you need to get over the roadblocks and live the life that only seemed possible in your dreams. It may seem far fetched now but believe me it's not. I'm living proof! Read More…